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Monday Night Baseball: Cardiac Cougars Comeback to Down SDCC |
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In the first night game in Cal State San Marcos baseball history, the Cougars faced local rival San Diego Christian in front of the largest crowd of the season. Under the lights at Escondido High, that crowd watched an extremely well-played game – and went home happy when the Cougars made a late comeback to win 6-5 in walk-off fashion. It was the best and most entertaining game of the season for the Cougars, who are now 12-14-1 on the season. The atmosphere was electric as Cougar starting pitcher Jared Suwyn took the mound. Suwyn relied heavily on his slider, working efficiently and getting ground balls. He was definitely up for the occasion, and early on looked as good as he has all season. But a seeing-eye RBI single put the Cougars down 1-0 in the second. On offense, CSUSM could generate very little against Hawks’ starter Garrett Lingle. After surviving a near-homer by Terry Moritz in the first (the leftfielder tracked it down at the wall), Lingle plowed through the Cougar lineup for the next few innings. San Diego Christian extended its lead in the fifth, thanks to a defensive mishap. With two outs, a potential inning-ending grounder was booted, opening the door for Andrew Hayashi to hit a three-run homer to center and make it 4-0. The Cougars got on the board in the bottom of the inning, as Austin Coleman led off with a base hit, and came around to score on a Ricardo Moran sac fly. But Hank Lanto led off the sixth for the Hawks with a home run on an 0-2 pitch, making it 5-1 and ending Suwyn’s outing. Reliever Eric Julienne pitched out of the frame with no further damage, and looked dominant in throwing a 1-2-3 seventh. Lingle finally tired in the seventh, walking Jackson Chapelone and Austin Coleman to start the inning. Johnny Omahen greeted reliever Brandon Abell with a perfect bunt, and beat the throw to first to load the bases. After two line outs, reliever Matt Luna was brought in, and promptly walked Austin Way and hit Tristan Gale to make it 5-3. Cougar reliever David Julio worked a very easy eighth to keep the deficit at two, and Mike Pena made it one with a leadoff home run in the bottom of the inning. That brought Chapelone to the plate, and the first baseman made it back-to-back jacks, tying the game with a no-doubter to right. Julio was clutch on the mound, retiring the side in order in the ninth to give his lineup a chance to break the 5-5 tie. And they did. Louie Russo led off by reaching on an error, Way drew a walk, and #3 hitter Tristan Gale laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt. Coach Dennis Pugh made the very important call to insert speedy Jason Hinton as a pinch runner for Russo – a call that would win his team the game. After Terry Moritz was intentionally walked to load the bases, Hinton did what he was in the game to do, racing home on a passed ball that rolled about five feet from the catcher. He was mobbed at home plate as the Cougars celebrated this very important win. CSUSM will look to keep the momentum going tomorrow at Vanguard.
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